Block 02 - 2, 4, and 6 Patch
I finished this block, and happy I did. My points are on point. My seams are crips and flat. Quite a contrast to the first time I did this block.
New block
I think this block was the one where what I learned since doing my first quilt has so far shown up the most. For starters, I use fewer pins. And I bite less of the fabric between each.
For the parts where I have seams I want to make meet exactly, I line the seam better, and pin it in such a way that it can’t move.
My fingers have turned soft. Or maybe they always were soft. One of my first chef when I was a young cook told me I had “butter fingers”. I think I have the sewist equivalent. Glad to have made myself a doeskin thimble, because commercial thimbles just don’t fit on my fingers!
I had to test one 4-patch before proceeding, making sure that the corners meet properly. Happy with the results!
My marking has also changed. I’m test driving a small mechanical chalk pencil. Makes a thin and sharp mark. I’m also not marking at 1/4”. I’m marking so I have a scant 1/4” and I’m hoping it’ll make a difference in how the blocks meet and fit together when I put the flimsy together.
Pressing the seams flat and using both starch alternative and tailor’s clapper make for crisper seams. But I did piece a bunch of 2-patch before pressing those seams.
The unpressed vertical seams almost look like my finished block from the first time around!
Old block
For comparison, here are a couple photos from the first time I did this quilt. Glad I took progress photos at the time. I didn’t know I’d have a use for them, but hey! It’s working out.
In this photo, you can see that I didn’t press the seams on the 2-patch before making them into 4-patches. I have much regret about this!
And you can see how my block isn’t laying flat, the seams aren’t crisp, nor pressed right. If you look closely, you’ll also see at least one seam that is significantly not lining up right.
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Published on March 22, 2024